Treatment of synthetic plastic fibers



Patented May II, 1948 1. 2 2,441,209

UNITED! STATES q r i 2,441,209 i TREATMENT or SYNTHETIC PLASTIC FIBERS II Herbert E. Rose, New CastlefDL, assignor to All American Aviation,Inc.-, Wilmingto'n,'-De1., acorporation of Delaware I N Drawing.ApplicationDecember P7, 1945,

SerialNo. 633,351 '2 Claims. (01. 106-232) 1 2 i his invention relatesto the treatment of c'erpound" for "treating undrawn synthetic plasticsynthetic plastic fibers and is concerned prifiberstopreservetheabili'ty'of "thefibe'rs todraw marily with the treating of suchfibers in an unand while drawin "to absorb "energy -which drawncondition for the purpose of maintaining consists essentially of acompound comprising in the fibers the ability to draw. 5 shellac,glycerin and pitch.

At the present time there is known and avail- For a full and morecomplete understanding of able to the public certain synthetic plasticfibers the invention reference may be had to the folwhich when spun,twisted, braided, or woven into lowing description in which detailedsteps, mate a strand or rope have the ability to draw or elonrials,proportions, and conditions are given puregate and while so elongatingabsorb an apprely by way of illustrating a preferred embodiment ciableamount of kinetic energy. Undrawn nylon of the invention.

is typical of such synthetic plastic fibers and It may first be assumedthat the undrawn synamong' others might be noted polyethylene, theticplastic fibers, whatever they may be, are vinyon and vinylite. In viewof this now spun, twisted, braided, or woven into the finishedrecognized property of such synthetic plastic article such as a strandor rope. Undrawn nylon fibers it has been proposed to take advantage ofis a fairly o p e f uc u dr wn b these properties in mechanicalapparatus par- H we r, it is to b ed th p yethyl ne, ticularly whereshock absorbing action should not nyon nd Vinylite also have themolecular be attended with any rebound or recoil. arr nge nt p i t d aWhich permits Under ideal conditions the strand or rope which them to bedrawn and elongated so as to absorb is made from the undrawn syntheticplastic fibers kinetic e y. t s to the end f preserving s will probablydraw and aiford the desired results ability o the s r d or pe made fromthe fibers without any particular treatment of the fibers. to draw andelongate under various and perhaps This drawing action requires that themolecules adverse conditions that the present invention is of the fibersbe in a plastic or unoriented condiaimed. tion and if sufiicientmoisture content is present n order to prepare the impregnating comthismolecular condition obtains. However, pound shellac is taken as the mainingredient. should the fibers dry out as under conditions of W il t e pfportion of shellac may vary h high temperature or by being left exposedto the optimum may b taken as y i ht. By weather for long periods thefibers will not draw 80 shellac is meant the ordinary commercialprodasintended. uct in which the shellac is dissolved in eitherAccordingly, this invention has in view as its m thyl or denatured ethylalcohol. foremost objective the provision of a compound In addition t ts ac e fi al c pound for. treating synthetic plastic fibers of the typeComprises ly rin i the p t n of about 10% above noted so as to maintainthem in a c0ndi-' y i ht and a pitch solution in the propo ti n tion inwhich they may be drawn to absorb of about 10% by w i ht- As an ex pl ofth kinetic energy. In carrying out this idea in a. pitch solution ahundred grams of the solution practical embodiment the inventionproposes to u d be a e up of thi ty-three grams of p t h impregnate thestrand 0r rope into which the and sixty-seven grams of methanol.Obviously, fibers are fashioned by a compound which preer p h so ti nmight aiford equally satisserves the plastic molecular arrangement,factory results.

A further object of the invention is the pro- The h l ri and pit hsolution in the vision, in the treatment of synthetic plastic fibers,Proportions specified above are d mped into an of a compound of thecharacter above noted p n-t p d vet nd thoroughly mixed together whichcomprises shellac, glycerin and pitch. by a at on. Thi m y be accomplishd by usin These materials may be present in proportions apeddleextendingover a, wide range but the three to- The strand of synthetic plasticfibers which is gether make up the complete compound. to be treated isnow completely immersed in the Various other more detailed objects andadcompound and the immersion is maintained for vantages of the inventionsuch as arise in con- 5 a period sufiicient to insure a completepenetranection with carrying out the above noted ideas tion of thefibers by the compound. It has been in a practical embodiment will inpart become apfound that 24 hours is the period which will prove parentand in part be hereinafter stated as a de ample for all ordinary cases.Under some condiscription of the invention proceeds. tions it might bedesirable to extend this period.

The invention, therefore, comprises a com 66 The important factor beingto insure complete impregnation of the synthetic plastic fibers by thecompound.

When undrawn synthetic plastic fibers of the character above noted areimpregnated by a conditioning compound in accordance with the abovenoted steps and materials they will absorb and retain about 20% byweight of the compound. This percentage will, of course, vary withdifierent synthetic plastic fibers, changes in the impregnatingcompound, and variations in other conditions. i a

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbeforeset forth, it is to be clearly understood that be limited to the exact.steps and scribed because various modifications of these dethe inventionis not to ingredients details may be provided in putting the inventioninto practice within claims,

What is claimed is:

-1. In the treatment of undrawn. synthetic plastic fibers, aconditioning compound comprising shellac in the proportion of about 80%by the purview of the appended proportion of 10% by weight, and a pitchsolution in the proportion of 10% by weight in which the pitch solutionis made up of about 33% pitch and 67% methanol.

2. In the treatment of undrawn synthetic plastic fibers, a conditioningcompound comprising shellac in the proportion of about 80% by weight,glycerin in the proportion of 10% by weight, and a pitch solution in theproportion of 10% by weight in which the pitch solution is made up ofabout 33% pitch and 67% alcoholic solvent.

weight. lycerin in a HERBERT E. ROSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 970,724 Kress Sept. 20, 1919671,812

Beamer Apr. 9, 1901

